A Look at the Leaves.

Once again it is fall in our backyard! The colors are so beautiful this year.






The girls have been collecting bouquets of leaves and pretty soon our garage will be full of red and orange piles--I had better find a fun craft to do with them. The Maples are nearly all red, the oaks are starting to turn along with the cottonwoods. Last will be the aspens--I am sure they will be a bright yellow in a matter of weeks.

School time.

Presley started her second year of preschool this morning! She handled it like a pro--considering she is at a new preschool (Sunshine Circle) and only knows one of the girls in her class. Stella had a harder time leaving Presley at school--she misses her sister and truly does not know life without her.




I can't believe how grown up my girls are, even though they are still my babies. Next year it will be Stella to preschool and Presley to kindergarten--I may not be prepared, but I hope I can prepare them.

Hike.

A much needed day with the family! A trip to Wall Lake, Provo River Falls, and a picnic in the mountains.










After Presley got her rhythm, walking on the trail, the 1 mile hike to the lake was pretty fun. Stella had an accident (a first) once she was out of the back pack and at the lake--she spent her time bare bottomed while throwing rocks into the lake.

The hammock was a big hit and I think we need to buy a couple more--this one for the girls and one each for Chris and me!

Just the 3 of us.

With Chris at volleyball practices for nearly 12 hours a day, the girls and I are spending a lot of time together. Poor Chris is lucky if he sees the girls before he leaves in the morning and home in time at night to help read them a story and tuck them in bed.


What a hard working daddy.

Favorite things.

This is for Carl--I know he loves when I share my new favorite things (wink, wink). If you can, you need to try them! I know they will be some of your favorites too!


I have never used anything but soap to shave, but this REALLY does make my skin so soft. It has a lotion-like consistency and you only need a bit. For around $3.



So, I bought this on a whim after dinner with my friend Jen, and I just ordered 2 additional shades. Benefit Cosmentics Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow, $19--this little pot is going to last forever. Colors I have, Tattle Tale, Get Figgy, and Busy Signal.



This is the expensive one on my list. It is like a Sconicare toothbrush for your face--and it is amazing. I have the one-speed version, the Mia, in pink. The brush heads need replacing every 6 months or so and you re-charge the handle every couple weeks--works in the shower too! $149.



Amazing--gets all the dead, yucky skin off! Made from recycled polyester and is washable. Best thing, the price, $4 for 2 towels. Way better than the puff.

I had to share! Enjoy.

Portraits and updates.

Krista was here visiting at the end of May--it has taken me this long to post pictures of the girls most recent portraits.


Presley, age 4

• can play pretend for hours (even in her room all by herself for quiet time)
• loves to explore outside
• has a good sense of direction--especially when out hiking with her dad
• makes up songs full of nonsense words and phrases and likes to sing them at the top of her lungs
• can get so engrossed in a craft/project/coloring--very focused

Stella, age 2

• no longer taking enzymes--and doing great!
• loves chocolate, nearly as much as I do
• love to grab your face for a kiss and is very affectionate
• copies Presley in everything she does
• has her own unique sense of humor and will cover her mouth while snickering at something only she finds funny
• when she says she loves you all she says is "lover"

Swimming.

For the last two weeks, and the next two weeks, the girls are taking their first (of many) swimming lessons! Chris's parents signed the girls up for lessons at their club and we are making the daily 1/2 hour drive to the pool.







The girls love the lessons and their teachers (Stella has had some rough days but today she discovered how fun it was to go under water, and I can barely get her to come up for air).

To make the trips down even better we pack a picnic lunch and stay after lessons for open-swim for a couple hours. The girls are getting very brown and we are all trying not to get too much sun. It sure brings back memories of the years I spent as a lifeguard and swim instructor!

Festivities.

We spent the Fourth as we usually do--the Oakley Rodeo, fireworks, picnics, and family. This year we had the added bonus of cooler weather, COLD in fact.




We had to buy Stella the $2.00 cowboy hat on our way to the rodeo--she loved the horses. We left just early enough to catch the fireworks show as it was going off right above our heads--Presley could have watched for hours.

At home sparklers, Snap-it's, and the Midway fireworks--our deck has the perfect view!

Happiest Place on Earth.

Or Most Crowded Place on Earth (it puts Swiss Days to shame!). There were long lines, it was hot, we all got tired and cranky--but we loved it!








What worked for us:

1. My double stroller sucks (so hard to push, why?). Renting 2 singles from Disneyland the second day was wonderful!

2. Get there early and stay until the kids fall asleep--around dinner time. Once you get there it is too hard to go home for food/naps and then come back again.

3. Bring your own snacks, but they do have fruit, smoothies, chips, and water when you have to buy something to eat (at OK-ish prices too).

4. Lots of sunscreen for everyone.

5. Just to the right of Cinderella's castle (when you are looking at it) is a place where they hold outdoor weddings/events--if you go to the back, in a little corner is a private bathroom marked for a bride/groom. No lines--go potty here. Maybe it wasn't the cleanest but it was far less used and fits strollers.

6. Be prepared to wait in a lot of lines--and try not too freak out that your kids are swinging on the dividers, licking them, hanging on them . . . yuck but it is going to happen.

The girls favorite ride was "It's a Small World" and for the amount of time you wait in line versus the ride time, this one has by far the best ratio. Oh and do the switch pass thing with your Fast Passes (on the rides you can).

Princesses.

I have two little princesses who loved meeting their favorite REAL princesses at Disneyland. Presley was chosen to announce the princesses and we somehow got seated at the first table that each of the princesses visited.








Presley was star-struck and goofy. Stella just wanted to hug everyone. We also met Sleeping Beauty (or Booty as Stella calls her) but she was weird and none of the pics were any good). I need more camera practice.